At my airline, it is SOP to wake a passenger who has not specifically requested not to be disturbed for any service.

One of the most common complaints we receive is that the crew did not wake up a pax for a meal service and so they went hungry and demand compensation and blah blah blah. Hence the policy. Usually the complainers have indeed been woken up but then decline the meal and forget the entire incident in their drowsy state. Of course, they later feel sufficiently aggrieved to write in to complain. :rolleyes:

Mental note to avoid that airline!

Generally in LH C when I awake, an FA will follow me to the lav and ask very concerned manner if I need anything as I missed the meal(s). I don't think that this is to prevent me writing in a complaint, but rather to take care of their passenger.

I was one time told very curtly on a long haul in LH C 'meal time is over!' about an hour before landing; even pointing out that the menu offers 'small items at any time desired' had little impact, and I had to finally state that a 5,000 Euro ticket was certainly worth a few 0,50 cent cookies.

Flying UA, I often awake to find a packet of pretzel mix, or a customs card, or best of all a packet of Biscoff, on my lap or on the seat next to me. A simple way to ensure that the passenger does receive something, just in case, and I appreciate the gesture.

This gave me the *best* laugh I've had all evening. Thank you, Sylvia. Isn't it nice to plot revenge?!

In Feb 08 I travelled from CTS to HIJ on JAL.

I went to sleep and when I awoke there was a sticker on my armrest explaining that they didn't want to disturb me whilst I was sleeping and that if I wanted the in flight service, a drink of fruit juice to please buzz for the FA.

She saw I was awake and came and offered me the drink.
Well handled and brought a smile to my face when I read the sticker.

However, I would never interfere with an FA during the course of their duty.

I don't know what has transpired between the pax and the FA nor is it any of my business.

On a longhaul DL flight in BE when the FA's came to take down our food selections they asked each pax if they wanted to be woken up for breakfast. Basically they had 3 options: wake you up for food, let you sleep and a just gentle tap - if the pax is deeply asleep he/she can continue to sleep.

Years ago, 10, 15 20?, I was on a flight that was pretty empty. I was sitting across the aisle from a guy who laying across three seats sleeping. I watched the flight attendants try to wake him several times as we were coming in to land. They were unsuccessful. Needless to say, when the plane landed, he rolled off the seats. That woke him up!

This used to be SOP on AA in F and J international. In particular, in F, you could be awakened 90 minutes before arrival with a hot breakfast, 75 minutes before arrival with a cold breakfast, 60 minutes before arrival with a continental breakfast (coffee/juice/muffin), or not at all. If I had a meeting the next day, I would skip dinner, sleep, and have them wake me for the hot breakfast. I felt much more awake at that point, particularly on the longer TATL flights (say, DFW-CDG).

If flying SQ you can tell the FA before take off and they will put a "do not disturb" sign on the seat. That is a very good idea. Otherwise if I am next to a sleeping pax I will tell the FA in a polite way.

LOL!

I always fall asleep somewhere between pushback and the runway hold-short line. That doesn't mean I want to sleep the whole trip. In fact, I wish I could stay awake better on airplanes-- I'd get more work done.

WAKE ME UP FOR ALL FOOD!

I get furious when the FA passes me by with food when I am asleep.

If you were sitting next to me and had told me that, I would wake you when the FA came through. The problem is with people who haven't said anything. Aren't people (in general) nice enough to wake you if asked before you fall asleep?